
I have two words, and they are SAY CHEESE! Smile is a terrifying, daring, and creepy experience. It is one of those horror films where I felt stunned. There are lots of jump scares, several hidden terrors, and little evidence to fight the horror. With Sosie Bacon and Kal Penn as doctors in a hospital, it is an excellent partnership to face the terror of Smile. Throughout the film, I was wondering who is next to face horror. I will say, however, the horror is airborne. Better hope for more resources and psychological aspects if the horror keeps getting warmer.
The psychological shockers incorporated with Smile is where the darkness unravels. One scenario leads to a death or an accident. Then there is a layout of cases that make no sense but are linked to the same type of scenario. The unraveling puzzles in Smile is bizarre. I even found myself afraid if someone were to have happy looks around me. Smile really knows where to find its label for its haunting aspects
In Smile, Bacon plays Dr. Rose Cotter who just witnesses a traumatizing incident with a patient. Her colleague is Dr. Morgan Desai (Penn). Morgan believes that Rose should take a break from her job working with patients to help clear her head. That is because following the incident, Rose starts to see disturbing images in her head, and it is taking over her daily life. The disturbing images are people smiling. That is what her patient was doing before the incident happened. Soon, Rose starts to see even more harrowing images in her mind, and it is invading her personal life as well. Her fiancé Trevor (played by Jessie T. Usher) does not know how to be on the same page as her, as do many others. This only puts Rose into a deeper hole as her terror is coming closer to her. Time is of the essence to confront the horror in Smile.
The pattern of Smile is like patterns of seeing ghosts. The concept of Rose seeing people with happy faces, and the past event from her traumatic episode is where the pattern becomes invigorating. As that continues, the more the problems for Rose are unexpected. The film’s trail is a landscape of a pattern that is supernatural with illusions. I love illusions, and Smile sold me on its illusions.
The context of terror is accurate in Smile. The many happy face in the film is a symbol of what is meant to be scary. It comes and goes in many enthralling fragments. Much of which is awry. No one can escape what is to come with Smile.
Two words, and they are, BE AFRAID! Smile had me afraid. It will have many afraid. Some of the film may be predictable. It is in some fragments. It is not though, in every aspect. There is many surprises waiting to come around with Smile. Just be ready for creepy faces. Three stars.